


the ghost he couldn't reach

by kurojiri



Series: HP stories: 500 or less words [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Guilt, Hogwarts Sixth Year, M/M, Pining Draco Malfoy, Portrait Cedric Diggory, Room of Requirement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 00:43:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16984884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurojiri/pseuds/kurojiri
Summary: Draco’s life simply couldn’t stay simple anymore.





	the ghost he couldn't reach

**Author's Note:**

> How is Portrait Cedric not a thing? Like ya'll we need to write more about this tag. 
> 
> I might even write a longer fic about this subject too if I ever find inspiration or get a request. Depends. 
> 
> Either way, enjoy this small fic that had been brought to you by, Hogwarts 365 challenge.

He stared back; heaving and rightfully losing all his strength (and possible sanity).  
  
It seemed that Diggory had not lost any of his past influence of having a rather paternal voice, being a portrait hadn’t stopped him from being comforting, it instead made it more surreal. Draco had rarely made it away from most people. Most of his time had been drenched into that blasted mission, that when he had days and hours to slip away, he took it. He buried himself into the lonely corridors, and rooms that were damp. The Room of Requirement in essence, had become a weird limbo for him.  
  
It provided a place for him to work on his mission, but it also gave a private area to lash out his emotions.  
  
However, it seemed like subconscious thoughts and whims had also bled over to the room when he didn’t want to work on the vanishing cabinet. Draco had not expected nor had he wanted to welcome the second voice that filled in ears and eyes. The same one that had previously made Draco see who he was under his facade.  
  
Cedric Diggory had always been a pretty boy, fair too when he had been alive.  
  
Even after death the portrait had still shown why he had been loved by many. The personality had wounded him, with all the friendliness he provided had also made him angry. For his parents' choices, for his own choices (and lack of ones too), and for Cedric’s ghost memory in that painting telling him it would be okay.  
  
It wouldn’t ever be okay. Draco couldn’t see the end, not when he had known he would be killed by either disobeying a madman or staying against Potter’s cause in public. He couldn’t win.  
  
“Draco, if I could—You know that I have forgiven your parents' choices?” Cedric’s face had morphed into a softer light. “You know that?”  
  
Draco’s own figure drew closer. One hand hovering out, as if he wanted to close the distance to a memory. It felt too heavy, too personal. He wanted to leave. Wanted to stop all his emotions.

  
_Would you really of have?_ Draco didn’t bother answering to a forgotten portrait.


End file.
